Electric plug



Sept. 13, 1932. F. KUHN ET AL 1,876,695

ELECTRIC PLUG Filed Feb. 6, 1928 Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES FRANK KUHN .AND LAURENCEr THOMAS, OZv DETROIT, MICHIGAN, SSIGrNVOII/S` T0 AMERICAN ELECTRICAL HEATER 'rIoN or MICHIGAN COMPANY, OF D-ETBOIT,`MICIIIGAN, A CORIPORA"y Application led February 6, 1928. Serial No. 252.317.

rIhis invention relates to electric plugs and contemplates the provision of a plug which shall be simple in construction and yetV thoroughly eiiicient and durable in ,-use.

An object of this invention is to provide an electric plug having a sectional insulator block or cord lock which may be quickly and easily assembled.

A further object of this invention is lto pro- 'i vide a hinged outer casing for the insulator block or cord lock and to provide means in the insulator block for receiving the hinge of the casing whereby the exterior of the cas-A ing will be smooth and free from raised positions. i Y Y @ther objects and advantagesrof this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds particularly` when reterence is had to the accompanying drawing 2o wherein: j v n Fig. 1 is an elevational view 'of 'an electric plug constructed in accordance with this invention;

F ig. 2 is a transverse sectional viewtakenvr '2'5" on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is aperspective'view showing the parts of the device spaced prior to'assembly; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view'through the contact clip used rwith the deviceand;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken` through the clipshown in Fig. 5. Referring now particularly '3'5' ing wherein like reference characters'designate corresponding parts throughout all views, the reference character 10 designates generally a metallic casing formed of the. sec-v tions 11 and 12. As clearly shown in Fig. 4A 210i of the drawing the'se'ction 11 forms one sideY of the casing and is bent at its lower'end to Jform the base 13 of the casing. The other section 12 forms the opposite side of thecasing and is hinged as at I14 to the section 1l. It will be noted that the roll of the hinge is on the interior of the casing so that the exterior of the casing is substantially smooth..

The sections 11 andl 12 are provided with the inturned side edges 15 and 16 respectively which when the sections of the casing are to the drawbrought injuxtaposition to each other form Y the sides ot the casing and are :further provided with the end Aflanges 1'? and 18 respectively for a purpose hereinatterto be `more fully described. The sides llan'd 12 are further provided with countersunk aper-` tures 19 and 2O respectively which apertures are arranged in alignment with eachother when the casing is closed. The base 13 yof the j casing is apertured as at 21 to receive one end of `a resilient member hereinafter tobe de-1 scribed. y

The casing` sulator block or cord lock ot the device. This insulator block includes the body portion 22 and a base portion 23. The body portion 22 includes the complementary members 24 and-4 25. which vmembers when secured together form a substantially flat elongated -body adapted to. substantially fill the interiorl of the casing 10. l 1

`The members 24 and 25 are substantially identical and each is provided with a pair ot recesses, which recesses extend longitudinally of the members to open through theends of the members. Each recess 26 is provided adjacent its lower end with the lateral eXtensions 27 and is further provided beyond the lateralextensions 27 with areduced portion 28 which opens through the lower end' ofthe.

member. Y Each member 24 and 25 is further provided adjacent its lower end with an arcuate recess 30 and with the apertures 31 and 32 arranged in the median plane-of the members,k which apertures terminate on the outer sides' of the members in countersunk portions 33.

It will thus be seen that when the mem-V bers 24 and 25 are secured together, the re 10 is adapted to receive the in PATENT craig i;

illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The end sections form finger pieces by which the electric plug may be conveniently handled. The end sections 35' are connected by a body portion 36 which while being of substantially c lindrical shape is provided with relatively attened surfaces. The portion 36 is provided on one face with the arcuate depressions 37, on another face with the longitudinally extending groove 38 and on still another face With the cylindrical recess 39. When the base member 23 is positioned within the casing 10 the hinge 14 of the casing is adapted to be received in the groove 38 while the cylindrical recess 39 is adapted to be positioned in alignment with the opening 21 in the base 13 of the casing. The base 23 is further provided with an aperture 40 which extends through the portion 36 of the base 23 and which is arranged substantially centrally of the cylindrical recess 39.

Adapted to be received in the recesses 26 are the contact clips 41. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing these contact clips are formed by bending a piece of resilient metal upon itself to form a substantially U-shaped member the legs 42 of which form the contact jaws. Arranged within the base of each clip 41 is a plate 43 and a threaded member 44 extends through the ends of the legs 42 and through the plate 43 to hold all of these elements together. The plate 43 is provided with the upturned edges 45 which in turn are provided with the laterally extending ears 46 adapted to be received in the extensions 27 of the recesses 26. It will thus be seen that when the clips 41 are positioned in the recesses 26 the ears 46 engaging in the recesses 27 will prevent movement of the clips longitudinally of the recesses 26.

An electric conduit 50 is adapted to extend through the aperture 21 in the casing 10 and through the aperture 40 in the base 23 and to have its two terminals 51 and 52 secured to the clips 41 arranged in the recesses 26. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing one terminal 51 is secured to one clip 41 while the other terminal 52 is secured to the other clip 41 these terminals being secured to their respective clips by the threaded members 44. The reduced portions 28 of the recesses 26 are adapted to receive the smaller wires extending from the conduit 50 to the terminals 51 and 52 while the natural surplusage of wire within the electric plug is adapted to be received in the recesses 30 and 37 as will be 0b- Vious by reference to Fig. 4 of the drawing.

After the clips have been secured to the termina-1s 51 and 52 and have been positioned in the recesses 26 the members 24 and 25 may be assembled and held together by a bolt 55 extending through the aligned apertures 31. Bolt 55 is provided with a tool engaging head 56 and is threaded at its opposite endto receive a nut 57 which when seated in the countersunk portion of the member 25 will be prevented from turning. Obviously therefore rotation of the bolt 55 will tend to clamp the members 24 and 25 rigidly to each other.

To prevent too sharp a bending of the conduit 50 Where the same enters the casing 10 there is provided a resilient member 60 sleeved on the conduit 50 and adapted to enter the casing l0 through the opening 21. rThe inner end of the resilient member 60 is adapted to be received in the cylindrical recess 39 in the base 23 whereby the inner end of this resilient member will be rigidly mounted with respect to the casing 10. After the base 23 has been positioned in the base of the casing 10 and the assembled body portion 22 of the insulator block has been positioned in the body of the casing 107 the sections of the casing are brought together and secured together by a bolt 61 which passes through the apertures 19 and 20 in the casing 10 and through the apertures 32 in the members 24 and 25. As clearly brought out before the casing 10 is provided with countersunk portions adj acent the apertures 19 and 20 whereby the head 62 of the bolt may be received in one of these countersunk portions while the nut 63 may be received in the other countersunk portion. 1t is preferable to make the countersunk portion which is adapted to receive the nut 63 of such a shape as to prevent turning of the nut 63 whereby rotation of the bolt 6l will assure a tightening of the nut.

From the above it will be apparent that the invention provides a sectional insulator block or cord lock which may be quickly and easily assembled as a unit and which will firmly position the free ends of the electric conduit. This insulator block when assembled may be positioned within the casing 10 whereupon the casing 10 may be closed and the entire structure held together by a single bolt which passes through the casing 10 and the body portion of the insulator block.

While the invent-ion has been described somewhat in detail it is to be clearly understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only and that the same is not to be considered as definitive of the limits to which the inventive idea may be put. Reservation is therefore taken to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangements of the parts as will follow within the purview of the attached claims.

Vhat We claim as our invention is:

1. In an electric plug, an insulator block, a sectional metallic casing for said block one section of said casing including one side and the base of the casing and the other section of the casing forming the remaining side of the casing, and a hinge joining the two sections of the casing to each other.

2. In an electric plug, an insulator block having a groove, ay sectional casing for the insulator block and a hinge joining the 'sections of the casing to each other, the said hinge being adapted for positioning in the groove of the insulator block.

3. In an electric plug, an insulator block Jformed of three sections and means detachably securing said sections to each other, said means including a hinged metallic casing enclosing said plug.

4. In an electric plug, an insulator blockA formed of three sections, one of said sections forming the base of said block and the remaining two of said sections orming the body ot said block, and a hinged metallic cas- Y ing for said plug.

5. In an electric plug, an insulator block including a substantially cylindrical base section and a plurality of complementary body sections, and a hinged metallic casing enclosing said plug sections.

6. In an electric plug, a pair of complementary members forming an insulator block, each of the said members being provide With an elongated recess and each recess being laterally extended at a point intermediate its ends, the said recesses cooperating when the members are assembled to form a socket, a substantially V-shaped contact clip in said socket, and a plate arranged in the base of said clip and provided With laterally extending flanges engageable in the lateral extension of said recesses for locking said clip against movement longitudinally of the socket.

7. In an electric plug, a sectional casing, a hinge securing the sections of said casing to each other, and an insulator block including a transversely extending. base section, the said base section being provided With a groove for receiving the hinge of said casing.

8. In an electric plug, a sectional insulator block including a transversely extending section provided with a socket and a groove, a hinged metallic casing for the said block, the hinge of the casing being seatedin the said groove, an electric conduit extending through the said casing and having its end anchored in the insulator block and a resilient member sleeved on the said electric conduit and extended through the said casing,

ing an end Wall of the casing and another of said sections having one edge hingedly connected to the free edge of said end Wall portion and cooperating with the section aforesaid to form the opposite Wall of the casing.

11. In an electric plug, an insulator block, a pair of separate casing members embracing said block and a member hingedly connecting said casing members together.

12. In an electric plug, a pair of casing members embracing said block, said casing members having juxtaposed edges thereof formed With returnbent portions and a hinging rod extending through the return-bentv portions.

In testimony whereof We aiflx our signatures.

- FRANK KUHN.

LAURENCE' H.l THOMAS.

the said resilient member having its inner end positioned in the said socket.

9. In an electric plug, a sectional insulator block including a base section and complementary body sections, a hinged metallic casing for said block, and a member extending through the body sections of said block and through said casing for locking the said casing in position With respect to said insulator.

10. In an electric plug, an insulator block, and a casing for said block formed of a plurality of sections, forming a side Wall of the casing and terminating in a laterally extending portion formone of said sections an insulator block, 

